Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-11-08
A LIVELY SESSION
OF THE CITY AND COUNTY HEALTH AU-
THORIrIgS HELD LAST EVENING.
The New Health Law and the Duties Of the City and
County Physicians Talked OVsr-The
Everlasting CremstOry Comes
Up Again.


The city and county health authorities
were called to meet at the City Hall last
evening, and the gathering was an import
ant One.
1t was also lively.
The new State health law was handled
in a very familiar way, and that fearful
tangle, the job of erecting the iron building
which shelters the crematory, on the
summit of Wheeling hill, was chewed over
for an hour or more, and left at the end Of
that time in pretty much the same condi-
ton it was at the outset.
1t was the regular meeting night Of the
Council Committee on Health, and it was
deemed a good opportunity to have the
County Health Officer and some representa-
tives of the County Board Of Health pres
ent 10 listen to the results of the examina-
ton of the health law made by Prescott
ing Attorney Jordan and City Solicitor
George B. Caldwell, jointly, for the infor-
nation of the city and county author
tiles, and the parties Immediately con-
cerned, and also to see whether or not any
amendments in the health laws of the city
or county were necessary. Besides the
members of the City Health Committee
there were present City Health Officer
Reed, County Health Officer E. c. Myers,
DR.. Robinson, of the County Board, Mr..
Serig, Superintendent of the Crematory,
Dir. Clearinghouse, of P~ittsburg, and sew
eral others.
City Solicitor Cald we'll was not present
when the meeting first organized, and the
committee, in order to save time, turned
their attention to the consideration OF
routine business. The regular monthly
bills were read and approved, except the
bill of f. Booking for medicine furnished
to inmates OF the City Prison, which was
referred to Council with the request b a
it be paid out Of the City Prison fund. The
Clerk was Instructed to advertise for new
bids for furnishing medicine to the city
prisoners for the year commencing NOVem-
Der Oath.
-
Mr.. Clearinghouse, the representative OF
the Pittsburgh Bridge Company, then took
the floor, and made a statement regarding
the iron building over the crematory, say
ing that he had never seen the plans
drawn by Mr.. Rea and approved by the
Committee on Health, but had erected the
house upon other plans, approved by Con-
tractor Smith, and drawn without consul
tation with the committee or anyone else.
Mr.. Clearinghouse submitted to the COM
mittee some letters written by DIR. CARR
son, approving the plan drawn by the
Bridge Company and endorsed by MIR.
Smith, and also saying there could be no
possible trouble about the Company getting
its money, if it would get up the building.
Mr.. Jaeger thought there wa some
thing very loose" about the whole business.
1t looked strange. The committee agreed
with the chairman. The farther they got
into the muddle the worse it looked. The
question was, who made the contract? The
Committee on Health did not seem to have
done so, or to have authorized anyone to
do it for them. The Bridge Company sup
posed everything was right, and that the
plans had been approved, and they there
fore went ahead. The Company had turned
the drawing over to Mr.. Smith, and he
came back with an order signed by DR..
r..r,,~- ,,A ,yN, Nhof khn hrIl1i,n rrnS
made. The members agreed that the only
thing for them TO do, was to ascertain, II
possible, whether DR.. Garrison acted by
authority of the old committee, and if so,
the city ought to pay the bill of $3.50. A
resolution was therefore adopted hat the
bill be paid if any such authority could be
found, and the committee then adjourned
until next Monday night, the members OF
the old Committee on Health and DR..
Garrison 70 be invited to be present at the
meeting.
The fact is that the city Committee on
Health made it's contract for the building
with Mr.. Smith, after plans approved by
the committee and accompanied by specif-
cations. Mr.. Smith went to the Bridge
Company and said he had never seen any
plans. The Bridge Company made a new
plan, and this is the u said to have been
approved by DIR. Garrison. If DIR. Garrison
acted by authority of the committee, it
would shift the contract from the city and
Mr.. Smith to the city and the Bridge
Company, and the city would have to set
tie up. If DR.. Garrison did not act by au-
thority, then the contract is still between
the city and Mr.. Smith, and the Bridge
Company would be merely filling an order
for the real contractor, although the letter
from DR.. Garrison might have led them to
believe that they were acting directly
with the city. The thing is not yet streight-
ened out, by any means.
Mr.. Caldwell then made an explanation
of the results of his examination Of the
health laws. He thought the County
Board had no jurisdiction whatever over
the city, which was in charge Of the City
Health Officer who, with the committee
over him, had all the powers of q County
Board of Health. He said the Prosecuting
Attorney agreed with him in this, and
would so report to the Board OF County
Commissioners.
DR.. f. C.. Myers, the President Of the
County Board OF Health, and DIR. Robinson,
took decided exceptions to this, and made
two or three strong points In support OF
their side of the question.
Mr.. Caldwell produced the Health
Statqtes Of the State. In SUPPORT Of hi:
position he quoted SEC. s of Chapter A Of
the Acts OF lSSY.
when any city, town or village has a 10
cal Board of Health OF its own, the jurisdic
ton of the county Board so appointed shall
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